


in which Iron Boots suck and Link needs to nap for three years after Goron Mines so his muscles stop aching

by rarmaster



Category: The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-03-04
Updated: 2016-03-04
Packaged: 2018-05-24 17:23:30
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,051
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6160957
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rarmaster/pseuds/rarmaster
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>I made <a href="http://rarmaster.tumblr.com/post/87949714510/if-you-think-about-it-the-goron-mines-are-probably">a post</a> a while back about Goron Mines being the most draining temple <i>physically</i> for Link, with all that trudging around in Iron Boots, upside down, across large ceilings, etc. Here are my thoughts in fic form, ft good 'ol MidLink not getting along that well at the start of the game.</p>
            </blockquote>





	in which Iron Boots suck and Link needs to nap for three years after Goron Mines so his muscles stop aching

Link let out a low groan as he plopped down on the ground, grateful for a chance to be off his feet. This room of the dungeon—of Goron Mines—was open and filled with a small lake, for some reason, with intricate wooden pathways constructed over it. It was a lot cooler than most previous rooms of the mine. And, after clearing it completely of Bulblins, a good place to rest.

He might have skipped taking a break, except, being pulled around by the Iron Boots on his feet from magnet to magnet was exhausting. His legs _ached._

“Again!?” Midna demanded, yanking herself out of his shadow. Link couldn’t see most of her face, when she was all wrapped in shadows like this, but he could see the scowl of her eyes well enough. “This is the fifth time you’ve stopped to rest! Get up! Get up!”

“Midna, please, just five minutes,” Link said. He didn’t move, regardless of her protests, and continued unclamping the Iron Boots from his feet. “It’s not easy walking around with these things on.”

“We don’t have _time,_ ” Midna argued, flying up to him and pushing her face close to his. Link rolled his eyes and ducked out of her way. He had half a mind to throw an Iron Boot at her, but if he missed, he’d have to fish it out of the water.

“I’m not moving.”

Midna kept glaring at him. Link continued ignoring her, stretching out his legs and flexing his feet. She could yell at him all she wanted. He wasn’t going to get up.

Finally, Midna pulled away from him and let out a long sigh. “Fiiiine,” she relented. “You can have five minutes—Mr. Whiney Baby.”

Smiling wryly at the totally incorrect title she’d given him (he _wasn’t_ that whiney), Link closed his eyes and leaned back.

 

**~ ~**

 

“Your face is all red~!” Midna teased.

Link glared as best as he could at her while also hanging upside down and concentrating on placing his feet right. He was trudging across one of the ceilings in Goron Mines, held up there only by the Iron Boots. Midna floated right side up next to him.

“Of course my face is red,” Link gritted out between clenched teeth. “It’s hot, and all the blood’s rushing to my head. Now leave me _alone!_ ”

“Aww, is it hard to think with me bugging you?”

“ _Yes.”_

Midna giggled. Link growled and kept trudging, keeping his eyes forward and off of her. This was hard enough without her blabbing in his ear. Trudging with Iron Boots on was slow, and when he had to go distances like this one, _exhausting._ His legs hurt, his head hurt, and his sword and shield weighed down his back in all the wrong ways. He’d had to shove his hat in his belt a long time ago, so it wouldn’t fall off every time he had to hang upside down from the ceiling like this.

“Whoever thought this was a good idea of getting around needs a firm _smack to the jaw,_ ” Link grumbled.

“Maybe it doesn’t bother Gorons the way it does you,” Midna said.

That didn’t really make Link feel any better. “Maybe.”

He kept trudging.

“Hey, don’t look now, but you’re right over a _huuuuge_ lava pit. It’d be a shame if you fell, huh?”

“ _Midna!_ ”

She only giggled.

Link turned to shoot her a wry grimace.

“Guess it would be a shame,” he said, haughtily. “Because then you’d have to find some _other_ hero to help you get those Fused Shadows.”

“Hmph!” Midna’s laughter quickly turned into a scowl. Link allowed himself a smile. “Fine, I’ll leave you alone.”

She dived back into his shadow. Sighing a bit in relief—which, actually, was hard when you were upside down—Link continued trudging in peace. He could almost see the end of the path. He couldn’t wait to get down!

 

**~ ~**

Link wanted desperately to hop straight into the hot spring halfway down Death Mountain and take a relaxing soak, but he had to escort one of the Goron leaders down to Kakariko to talk to Renado, first. Well, less escort, and more just _be_ there when they got things straightened out so everyone knew he’d done his task and the Gorons were saved.

Soaking in the Spirit Spring probably would’ve been enough, but Link had his sights on the hot spring above Kakariko’s Inn.

“I can’t believe this!” Midna complained. “You spent _ages_ in those mines, and now you’re going to waste even more time soaking in a _hot spring_?”

Link didn’t even open his eyes to look at her.

“Yup.”

“What about your other friends? Aren’t you worried about them? Don’t you want to keep moving so we can—”

“I _am_ worried about Ilia, Midna,” Link said, cracking an eye open now. He wouldn’t have her think he wasn’t. “But I won’t be any use to her if I can’t walk. Won’t be any use to _you_ if I can’t walk.”

“Oh, come on, it can’t have been that bad!”

“Midna, I wore those boots almost the entire time I was in there—I don’t think they were made for extended use.”

Link wasn’t sure if Midna pouted—again, he couldn’t _really_ make out all the features in her face when she was wrapped up in shadows like this—but she did cross her arms over her chest and turn her nose up, away from him. He envied her ability to just sit in mid-air like that, honestly.

“Well, they should’ve been,” she argued.

Link held up a finger, nodding.

“That’s the first thing I’ll do, when this is all over,” he said. “Make a pair of Iron Boots that _aren’t_ a pain to wear.” He lowered his hand and leaned his head back against the rock behind him. “Now leave me in peace and let me relax. I’ll be done before you know it.”

To his surprise, she _did_ leave him alone after that. If he wasn’t so exhausted, maybe he’d have worried. But, he _was_ exhausted. Relaxing ended up turning into a nap, before long.

He didn’t feel completely better when he woke up, and Midna was pretty mad at him, but his legs hurt a lot less. It would have to be enough.


End file.
